Crankless engine



July 11, 1933. cs. M. SHOBER 1,917,274

CRANKLESS ENGINE Filed Nov. 12, 1931 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Figure I 10 14 L Q I6 Geo. M. Shobef July 1 l, G. M SHOBER CRANKLES S ENGINE Filed Nov. 12 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F13) are 6 gwuantoz Geo. M Shober G. M. SHOBER CRANKLESS ENGINE July 11,1933.

Filed Nov. 12, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 are 9 gwwnto'o Geo. M Shober i Patented July 11, 1933 GEORGE M. snonnn, or o'r rUMwA; IOWA onnnxnnss ENGINE Application filed-November 12,1931. Serial No. 574,541.

My invention relates to crankless engines, one of its objects being the provision of an engine in which the usual crank shaft is omitted, the drive jshaft being drlven 5 throughrocking mechanism which is actuated by the movement of the pistons of the engine.

vision of. novel mechanism for converting the W reciprocatory movements of the pistons into rotary motion.

Having in View these objects and others which will be pointed out in the following descriptionyl will'now-refer to the drawr,

apertures at the lower ends of the piston w ings, in which j Figure 1 a vertical sectional view of the mechanism for convertingereciprocating motion intorotary motion. Q

t Figure 2 isa vie f. the mechanism shown a mit g e 1 as itagpears'when lookinglat the ro king spider an in. the direction of the under side of the. cylinders.

. Fig re 3 1s a perspective view of thefrocking spider. j j v t Figure 4 is a view in perspective of-the connecting member between the rocking spider and the fiy-W heel of the engine. Figure 5, isa perspective view of the urnversal joint in the drive shaft of the engine. Figure. 6 is a. diagrammatic view showing the valve. actuating mechanism.

Figure 7 is a view in median verticalsection showing particularly the valve actuate ing mechanism. e j 7 Figure 8 is a viewin elevation showing one either rocker arms.

Figure 9 is a. view in elevation showing the rocker arm support. 1 j I j Referring now particularly to Figures 1 and2.,.it willbe seen that there are, shown four cylinders 10 with pistons 11. These ylinders are: preferably arrangedat equal distances from a; common center. While I i e have shown the engine with four cylinders, it

is obvious that the number may be increased 7 it beingonly necessary that there be an even number of cylinders; The cylindersare surrounded by a. casing 12 which provides with the cylinders a water jacket surroundthe cylinders and designed for cooling Another obj actor theinvention isthe pro-X .engineincreases the end thrust on the shaft versaljoint connection with the shaft the engine. The cylinders 10 are arranged in pairs so that when two of the pistons are in their extreme downward position the other two pistons will be in their extreme upward position; Each piston 11 is provided with a piston stem 14. V

1 Depending from'the casingfare two sup ports 15.. Thespider 16 shown in Figure 3 is provided with two pins 17 integral therewith and adapted to be journalled in the supports 15. The spider isthus adapted to berocked about the axis passing through the two ins 17. The spider is also provided with our pins 18 for engagement through the rods 14. The movements of the pistons 11 willflthusbe communicated through the piston rods 14 to rock the spider 16 about its fixedaxis. l I r At the bottom of the casing 12 is a flywheel 19 which is rotatable within the casing.

Secured to the flywheel and integral therewith isvthe shaft QO, thisfshaft" being journalled in the sleeve 21 which is integral with the bottom of the casing. Secured to the '27 for receiving the shaft It also has a pair of ears28 with bearing collars adapted "to receive. the pins 29 of the rocking spider.

The connectin member 26 is therefore rocked through the movements of the rock .ing spider'but its lower extremity is compelled to follow a fixed circular path about the axis of the shaft 20.

The-shaftQi is rotatable in the bearings 23 and 27 and it also has limited sliding movement in these bearings... As the speed of the 95 24 decreases and the gear 25 consequently moves to a slightly higher level. The shaft Mterminates at its upper extremity in a uni- 31.,QT11eaXis of the universal joint is 9 within the plane of the rocking spider 16.

The shaft 20 is the power take-off shaft. For this purpose it may be provided with a pulley or with a helical or other gear of any suitable kind for transmitting the power from the shaft 20. The shaft 31 is within the space betweenthe four cylinders and it is to be used in my engine for controlling all of the timing mechanisms such as the spark plugs and the valves of the engine.

In the space between the four cylinders is a frame 32 supporting the valve actuating mechanism. The shaft 31 as shown in Figure 7 has an upward and outward inclination and it terminates in a bevel pinion 33. This pinion cooperates with a gear on the inner or under side of a cup-shaped disc 34 which is rotatably secured'to the support-32 by means of the spindle35. Projecting upwardly from the disc 34 are cams 36, the number of cams corresponding with the numberof cylinders of the engine. These cams 36 are positioned at various radial dis tan'ces from the axis of rotation of thedisc M Each cylinder has exhaust valve 37 and an intake valve 38, the valves 3? and 38 in the four cylinders being arranged as shown in Figure 6. In connection with each pair of exhaust and intake valves there is a rocker arm mechanism for opening these two valves in succession. The mechanim includes a supporting casting 39 which'is adapted to be bolted onto the frame of the cylinder.

' Each casting 39'has two pairs of upwardly projecting cars 40, each pair of ears 40 having a pin connection 41 forsupporting a rocker arm as shown in Figure 8. The rocker arm' 42 rests on thespringpressed valve stem 43 butat its rear end it carries a roller 44 which lies in the path of a cam hen the roller 44 rides over a cam 36, the rear end of the rocker M11142 will be elevated to depress the outer end of the rocker arm 42 and to thus depress the valve stem 43 and'to momentarily open the .valve. As soon as the roller 44 has passed the cam 36 the valve stem 43 will be forced upwardly under the action of its spring to thus close the valve. The cams 36 correspond in number with the number of cylinders butthey are so arranged with reference to each other and with reference to the rocker arms 42 that they will actuate the valves of the cylinders in succession, the exhaust valves in each case being actuated before the intake valve.

The firing system is not illustrated in my drawings since it is optional and since it 'is well understood by all expert in gas engine design. The drive which I have shown and described is to be used on a single, two cylinder or four cylinder engine. Every other down stroke in a four cycle engine isthe power stroke, the other stroke being the intake stroke. The firing order'may thus be either 1243 or 1-342, this being optional since it makes no difference in the operation of the engine. This requires but one cam for each pair of rocker arms.

The relative speed of the shaft 31 is governed entirely by the gear ratio of the gears 22 and25'. In my preferred construction I employ a 3 to 1 gear ratio but it is obvious that this ratio may be altered as desired. Since the shaft 31 controls the action of the valves, it is essential that the gears 22 and 25 be proportioned in accordance with the engine design.

The above described construction involves in particular two novel features of construction. First, there is the relative arrangement of the cylinders with respect to the flywheel and rotating parts. Second, there is the specific construction and arrangement of the'valve operating shaft which derives its turning power from the-gear wheel and stationary gear in its peculiar association with theoscillating' head.

Having thus described my invention in such full, clear, and exact terms that its construction and operation will be readily understood by others skilled in the art to which it pertains, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: j I

1. Means for converting reciprocatory motion into rotary motion including a supporting frame, a reciprocating member supported .in said frame, a shaft journaled in said frame, said shaft being parallel to the direction of movement of said reciprocating member, a flywheel secured to said shaft, a rocking spider pivotally secured to said frame and to said reciprocating member, and a connecting member pivotally secured at one of its extremities to said spider at right angles to the pivotal connection'between the frame and the spider and having an eccentric bearing at its other extremity with said flywheel.

2. Means for converting reciprocatory motion into rotary motion including a supporting frame, a reciprocating member supported in said frame,a shaft journaled in'said frame, said shaft being parallel to the direction of movement of said reciprocating member, a

flywheel secured. to said shaft, a rocking spider pivotally secured to said frame and to saidreciprocating member, a connecting member pivotally secured at one of itslextremities to said spider at right angles to its pivotal connection to the frame and having an eccentric bearing at its other extremity with said flywheel, a second shaft journaled in said connecting member, and a third shaft having a universal joint connection in the plane of" the pivotal connection between the frame and the spider with said second shaft and positioned in alignment with said first named shaft.

3. Means for converting reciproeatory motween the opposite endsof the spider andsaid pistons, H a connecting member pivotally mounted upon the opposite ends of the spider tion into rotary motion including a supporting frame, a reciprocating member supported in said frame, a shaft iournaled in said frame, said shaft being parallel to the directlon of movement of said reciprocating member, a flywheel secured to said shaft, a rocking spider pivotally secured to said frame and to said reciprocating member, a connecting member pivotally secured at one of its extremities to said spider at right angles to the pivotal connection of the frame and haV- ing an eccentric bearing at its other extremity with said fiywheel,a second shaft journaled in said connecting member, a third shaft having a universal joint connection with said second shaft and positioned in alignment with said first named shaft, a stationary pinion secured to said frame, and a gear secured to said second shaft and interlneshing with said pinion.

4. In an engine, pairs of parallel cylinders with pistons therein, a support disposed between the pairs ofcylinders and pistons, a

spider pivotally mounted in said support'on,

an intermediate axis, connecting means beon an axis at right angles to the connection of thespider to the support, a fiy-wheel having a shaft with its axis intersecting the axis of the spider at the point of intersection of having rods pivotally connected to the oppositeends of the spider, a connecting member hinged upon the spider on an axis at right angles to the pivotal connection of the spider withthe bracket, ashaft disposed between i said cylinders, a second shaft mounted coaxially in the connecting member andhaving a universal connection with the first shaft in the fplane of the spider, a fly-wheel having a V sha co-axial with said first shaft andhaving an eccentric bearing for receiving the adjacent end of the second shaft, a gear on said second shaft in the fly-wheel, and a stationary pinion concentric with the fly-wheel shaft meshing with said gear for turning the latter during rotation of the fiy-wheel.

In testimonywhereof I afiix my signature.

GEORGE M. SHOBER. 

